Vanishing Programmable Resources (VAPR) transient sensor

U.S. forces use electronic microsystems on the battlefield to gather critical data for situational awareness, monitoring the area without putting the warfighter in danger.

Since the systems are dispersed throughout wide areas, it is difficult to retrieve every device, leaving them susceptible to enemy recovery and use which could result in compromise of the sensor, and the communications network.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has contracted BAE Systems to develop transient electronic microsystems as part of the VAPR program.

BAE Systems’ pH–sensitive Hydrogel with Alkaline Silicon Etching (pHASE) transient sensor will be a self-powered wireless sensor deployed in a mesh network to monitor its surroundings.